With GHG emissions from agriculture making up almost 48% of New Zealand’s GHG emissions, it is clear that any climate targets must include agriculture if they’re to have real impact. Currently New Zealand is the only country in the world investigating a compulsory price on agricultural emissions, designed to encourage farmers to factor emissions into their daily decision making, whilst providing revenue for programmes that further help farmers to reduce emissions. The concept is a great example of collaboration between farmers and government to ensure that food isn’t left out of climate targets. However the report doesn’t delve into the role of farmers in helping to shift diets to be less carbon intensive. Producing less but better, high-welfare meat, raised in non-intensive farming systems is crucial to this. The issue must be addressed from a whole food systems position in order to highlight opportunities to achieve more.
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